1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates generally to the field of information handling systems. More specifically, but without limitation, the present disclosure relates to remotely configuring boot options of an information handling system (IHS).
2. Background Information
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is an information handling system. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handing systems allow for such systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition: information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
In some circumstances a plurality of information handling systems may be densely located within a single location. For example, an internet hosting company may place a large number of information handling systems (e.g., web servers) within a single location (e.g., within a single room) in order to respond to requests for information (e.g., serve web pages).
The information handling systems may be arranged to conserve space (e.g., rack mounted), and each information handling system may be provided without a dedicated keyboard, monitor, and/or mouse in order to further conserve space Instead of having a single keyboard, mouse and monitor for each information handling system, the information handling systems may be remotely monitored and remotely configured.
One standard for remote monitoring and remote management of information handling systems is the Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) Specification. The IPMI Specification provides a standard for remotely managing a plurality of information handling systems from a separate and remotely located information handling system (a remote management information handling system). An IPMI configured information handling system (a remotely configured information handling system) may contain a Baseboard Management Controller (BMC) which may monitor the remotely configured information handling system and may communicate with a remote management information handling system. The BMC may contain hardware and software which enables the BMC to operate independently of the hardware and software which controls the remotely configured information handling system.
In some circumstances a remotely configured information handling system may experience an error and may stop functioning, Consequently, the remotely configured information handling system may need to be restarted in order for the information handling system to regain functionality and in order for the error to be adequately diagnosed. The remote management information handling system may send commands to the BMC located within the remotely configured information handling system such that the BMC may reset or restart the remotely configured information handling system. In some circumstances resetting the remotely configured information handling system may solve the problem.
However, in some circumstances merely restarting the remotely configured information handling system may not resolve the problem occurring on the remotely configured information handling system. This may happen when a device in the remotely configured information handling system has ceased functioning. For example, a bootable device (e.g., a device containing programming code which boots or loads an operating system onto the remotely configured information handling system) may have stopped functioning. In this scenario, the remotely configured information handling system may need to be reconfigured in order to attempt a boot to a different device upon a restart or a reset of the system. A subsequent boot of the remotely configured information handling system to a different bootable device may allow the remotely configured information handling system to regain at least basic functionality and, consequently, may allow diagnosis of the error which occurred on the remotely configured information handling system.
Currently, IPMI and the BMC allow a user of a remote management information handling system to select a different boot device for the remotely configured information handling system to boot from. This option allows the user of the remote management IHS to specify that the remotely configured IHS boot from either the first available PXE device a default hard-drive device, a default CD/DVD device, or a diagnostic partition. Although in some circumstances a subsequent boot to the specified device may be successful, there is no verification on the remote management IHS that these devices or partitions are installed or located within the remotely configured IHS. Consequently, if the user of the remote management IHS selects a device (e.g., PXE device) for the remotely configured IHS to boot from but the device is not installed on the remotely configured IHS, the remotely configured IHS may not successfully boot to the desired device.
Thus, a need exists for methods and systems to remotely configure boot options in information handling systems.